Mengale's EO EXPERIMENTS
by Rynn
Summary: Experiments are being conducted in a shutdown colony. One scientist and a hematologist are thinking to achieve the impossible: create the perfect team of pilots. But what sort of complications with humanity and death will they have to face? Is it worth it


Oh it depresses me so that the MK fandom is virtually dead. Especially since I remember reading so many new stories years ago and more would be posted the next day. Now I go back to the fandom and I run into those old stories. Hopefully Bunny-sensei will produce a second season so MK can have some more time in the sun.

Warnings: This is unbetaed. I try to catch as many mistakes as I can but I can tell you right now that I'm not amazing at betaing my own work. I own all of the characters in this chapter so unfortunately it will be a while before you see any characters you recognize. I don't own MK though I wish I did so then I would have all of the answers!

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Mengale's EO EX-PERIMENTS

EO and EX Specialist and Hematologist Gazini opened another cluster of profiles then sipped his steaming cup of coffee, hoping it would take the tired red from his eyes. He rubbed his eyebrows and eyed the pile he hadn't touched yet and remembered it was going to be another long day. He had _finally_ finished the lab work for K-09 and L-01 and 2 and would have to wait four hours for the lab results before he could start with the first elimination process. Gazini set the K's and L's down and flipped for the J's.

Gazini opened the fresh envelope and scanned through the names with his finger. He drilled through piles and piles of profiles. _All read as EO, now how much of that is actually true; _he huffed as he headed back to the lab to read the blood sample results.

The Clean Room lacked color to the point it nearly glowed, against the white lab coat, gloves and clear test tubes, the deepest contrast came from the maroon blood. It was deathly quiet even as the computer clicked and analyzed the blood work for K-09-L-09. He conjured the address for the J colonies and the rows of test tubes were sorted through the everlasting shelves of test tubes. He had gotten so used to his job that he bet he could tell which blood was eligible by merely looking at it but amusedly figured that the colonies would get angry if their hopefuls were rejected simply because 'he said so'.

Gazini adjusted his glasses and closely examined the results printed in reference to the blood samples. _Hmmm_, _a higher ratio of possible candidates over the previous colonies. 1:100 for eligibility, a very impressive cluster._ _Good, because the rest of these are 1:140_, Gazini frowned as he determined the numbers in his head.

He didn't think of anything else until he gathered the profiles and left the Clean Room along with his white coat and gloves. _From the looks of it_, he thought as he secured the recently cleared chunk of profiles into two piles, _the numbers of EO-type blood bodies were running significantly slimmer than ever before. _

The Aptitude was the first to declare the "EO-Scarce" and though the colonies criticized the legitimacy of their work frantic alerts swept mankind, trying to find the perfect candidate. From the moment of declaration, Gazini imagined children of all ages being ripped away from their homes who even showed the slightest bit of an EX reaction. Your fate was determined the moment your hair glowed green in that unexpected moment of intense stress. You were to become a candidate. Whether you made it to the goddesses or not, you were always a candidate.

The declaration of the EO-Scarce ironically delivered the largest rush of candidates known to date. The trainees were getting younger as well. He had read and worked to moderate an organization enlisting children as young as six! Six! Some of their trainees were probably too young to even know what VICTIM was or why they were being taken away from home. The problem with these orgs were the fact not all were authorized by G.O.A. and were often teaching their trainees bad techniques that after years are hard to be molded correctly by G.O.A.'s instructors. The declaration had made everyone's already difficult job harder than ever.

Of course, Gazini had anticipated this would happen, in fact he even said it would, to the Aptitude of EO Specialists and Candidate Standardizations. He remembered expressing his point with emotionally-stressed professionalism. He was taken seriously and no one could argue against him but his side against the declaration lost the vote 6:7. He felt bittersweet when he spoke about the news of children being enlisted even with the slightest bit of eligibility. These kids often didn't even have the right blood type, which was his job to sort through. A lot of these paranoid colonies were wasting his time when in a ratio of 1:150 of the boys they profiled were even eligible by G.O.A.'s standards when the best ratio was 3:50. There wasn't less EX, _not significantly at least_, the colonies were sending more boys who simply didn't have EX.

"The colonies have to run out of boys to profile eventually right?" Gazini had joked once with one of his colleagues who simpered while giving him yet another packaged lists and blood samples of boys.

"Let's hope for the last star that that never happens." He muttered, leaving Gazini to deliberate over his work.

Gazini, the argued best in his profession and youngest, felt there was no need to worry yet. No matter how the numbers are reducing, he always said, the numbers will never be low enough to worry about and even if they do continue to dive, there will always be at least five to fight. By then, if that were the case, mankind would have another strategy, as it always did.

After reading through the envelope three times Dr. Gazini finally clipped the folder shut and placed it into his giant shelf of profiles from any and every colony imaginable. His office was intimidating in size, complete with anything a stressed individual could ask for and he often thought it was quite ridiculous. Well he did rather appreciate the fake "outdoor" room, where he could distract himself from the lists, profiles, and the letters of eligibility and illegibility. The piles of profiles always seemed smaller after an hour of resting in the fake baking sun while listening to the fake river of water. He imagined that they gave him the large office because they knew he paced at times and knew he needed the space whether he realized it or not.

Gazini settled himself in his comfortable chair and pulled up colony J-01's list of boys on his computer. J-01 was one of the most promising as well as the most disappointing. There were plenty of pilots and worthy candidates that originated from J-01 however their list of bullshit candidates was growing along with every other colony. There was a negative correlation, he thought, between "candidates" and candidates who will see battle.

The profiles didn't include pictures but the boys still had names at that point. He had clicked and deleted nineteen boys from a cluster until he came across one who according to the samples he had tested and the reports of EX determined him to be a possible pilot candidate. Ninety-nine percent were useless in that particular cluster. An hour of his time was used reading and scanning, not to mention at least ten minutes more applied to each blood sample, four hours to test them in a unit and the two pairs of gloves he ran through. He calculated the numbers in his head, equaling to a big waste of his time. Since the declaration the pool of green grass wasn't larger, there are just more weeds to pull.

From a loud knock on his door came one of his colleagues, Lenna Ardizzone. Usually she had a bright smile but this time she avoided eye contact, her dirty blonde bangs curtaining above her eyelashes. She must have caught Gazini's surprise because she tried to force a genuinely happy expression but the stress could be seen by the thin lines on her face. Gazini turned in his chair and finally took notice of the heavy white bundle of papers she held carefully over her chest. He ignored the seriousness of the situation and returned to his computer with the blue screen glaring on his glasses.

"If that's from L-05 they can be informed their list is being cleared. Both lists will be composed by the end of today. And so I don't get griped at by the neighboring colonies. I'm working on the cluster before them and should have their paperwork ready to present along with L-05's. Jam-packed full of reasons with illegibility so maybe the candidate selection orgs can finally take the hint of what we want."

Gazini heard Ardizzone heave a sigh. He recognized the sound of raffling of her white lab coat. "By your tone of voice I'm assuming you _didn't _clear any potential candidates today from any of the clusters?"

"This one makes three today actually. The outdoor room was nice earlier." Gazini grinned.

"This one?" She asked.

"I just finished scanning through…"—he leaned in closer to the screen, his eyes reading across in lines—"Eugen Stark. G.O.A will definitely take him in a few years."

"The other two then?" She asked.

Gazini smirked at her with giggle. "Oh G.O.A. will take them…in say five years. Once they meet the age requirements. You can inform the colony that their twins should cherish the last of their childhood before they're forced into battle."

Ardizzone slightly nodded her head, not seeming surprised as she approached his desk and tucked back strands of loose hair to her ear. "This is for you." She dropped the bundle on Gazini's desk with a heavy thump. It was enough for Gazini to look away from his screen and stare at the package.

_Hmmm_, he thought. "Mad mail and or more copy-profiles?"

"I have no idea. But it's too heavy to be profiles even if they sent us a dozen of them. Plus there were no blood packages so it's not from the colonies. Not from the candidate selection orgs."

Gazini cocked an eyebrow at her but she plainly shrugged. He finally turned the heavy package over and found the titling. His eyes widen behind his lenses and his fingers drummed on his desk. "EO Hema-_Experiments_…" Gazini glanced at Ardizzone again who again merely shrugged. He felt all four corners of the heavy package in his hands, feeling a foreboding vibe so thick it could be chewed. He was so entranced by the bundle that he hardly noticed Ardizzone tiptoe away to the door.

"Hema for blood, it'd make sense that they'd send that to you am I right?" She uttered right as the hem of her coat disappeared behind the sliding door.

Gazini hadn't look up from the package but he acknowledged her statement. He spun in his chair to face away from his computer as he fumbled open the white package. He held on the end and carefully pulled out the contents of three secured packets.

He spread them out on his desk then opened the first one to his left and read. And read. And read. An hour later of reading Gazini finished the first packet. Unconsciously he grabbed the second packet with a stunned expression. Two hours later his fingers were tired of checking and rechecking the calculations and charts. The accuracy made him breathless but _surely_, he thought,_ something that looks good paper doesn't necessarily make it…possible_. Another hour and half later his glasses came off and his eyes were too strained from reading over and over again to make sure he had read correctly the first and second time. Thrice readings hadn't made him any more comfortable or his stomach any more settled. Finally he set the packets aside and rested his chin in his hand. He pondered seriously. By then he had forgotten everything about colonies K-J or anything else. He couldn't imagine, couldn't conceive these blood experiments. He dropped his hand and was suddenly enraged, _was this some sort of joke? _

_

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_

After another hour of staring at the ceiling and spinning in his chair, hoping to stumble upon an answer or reason to accept or decline the offer, he found he was no closer to reaching a decision.

What were these alleged experiments and why were they sent to him? According to the third packet they hadn't been conducted yet so Gazini figured they were asking for a Hematologist's expert opinion. He snorted. He would have a field day typing up all of the reasons why these experiments couldn't be tried.

For one, they were so unorthodox and so inhumanly possible that he felt worried that such experiments could be crafted. Even if…they were so _good_. They defied nature, which said enough on its own. Three, G.O.A. wouldn't stand for it simple as that.

Though these experiments, much to his shame, were stirring and inciting. It was puzzling, thrilling, and mysterious, something he hadn't experienced in an unfortunately long time. Gazini often felt his talents were wasted even though he liked where his position was. One step below G.O.A. And no matter how interesting this was it was no definite guarantee. Experiments and offices even with brilliance had to be shut down due to loss of funds.

Gazini fingered his glasses further up his nose and the details of the ceiling came into clear focus. Had he followed the same desperation of his fellow colleagues he would searched for fake approval from his practice. Trying to find loop holes to where he could say these experiments were humane. Sadly, Gazini knew of other Hematologists that would give their approval.

The graphs didn't lie. The numbers really were reducing steadily over time. Gazini recalled signs of anxiety from the colonies to produce candidates when he was a teenager at G.O.A. Even back then it terribly annoyed him so why would he want to contribute his expertise to further incite this fear within the colonies?

A wave of someone's presence fell over Gazini, causing him to sit up and twist his neck to face the door. _Someone's coming. _Another moment later, Gazini smiled, _this ought to be interesting. _"Come in," he called.

The man seemed to pause but then finally the door slid open and he stepped in. Judging by the man's composure, he was the one Gazini was anxious to meet. He was at least twenty years older than Gazini but still visibly had the curiosity of a child. His lips seemed to have a permanent curve as if no matter he always had something to smile about.

Gazini stood from his chair. "Mengale, this is a pleasure."

Mengale smiled, mildly impressed and held out his hand. "Dr. Gazini, trust me the pleasure is all mine."

Gazini stared at his hand then took it and shook it strongly. "Sorry, old habit," he said then gestured to the seat in front of his desk. "And to what do I owe this occasion?"

Mengale eyed the packets spread across Gazini's desk. He settled comfortably at the fact that they were obviously opened and read through. "Not to waste anyone's time here, we're both busy men, so I'll cut to the chase."

Gazini leaned his head back to the head rest.

"I can tell you've read through the packets so I don't need to go into details. I want—no, need your experience and brains on this project."

This information was nothing new to Gazini. He was thankful to not have to type up a reply at least. "I hate to discourage you…Doctor, but these experiments are considered by my exclusive experience to be impossible and inhumane. You're obviously brilliant and they could use more of that on G.I.S."

Mengale smiled sardonically. "Been there, done that. And I wasn't asking for your opinion Doctor. I wouldn't come to you in person for that."

Gazini felt the sense of foreboding ring again. He chewed on his nail, his eyes never leaving Mengale. "So why pay a visit?"

Mengale moved to the edge of his seat and smoothed his hair. "The laboratory has been set in a shutdown colony in a district nearby. A set of test subjects has been selected, of both genders I might notably add. They have already gone through the prescreening and some basic training and so far we have had plenty of luck. Most have scanned through with success—

"And the ones who didn't?" Gazini interrupted harshly.

Mengale admired Gazini's empathy. "They go back home, no strings attached." This seemed to calm Gazini so Mengale continued. "Our goal is to create the perfect team of candidates and eventually pilots. Perfect in potential ability I might want to say instead. With control of their EX so it doesn't deplete as rapidly. With battle technique that is as natural to them as breathing air. With little emotional strain to create less interference with battle and lead to pilot vacancy."

_You mean death._ _Pilot vacancy!_ Gazini felt his insides burn with rage but managed to restrain his emotions by chewing on his nail. "That job, training the candidates, goes to G.O.A. No one else is or should be responsible for that. When a pilot dies it's their concern, not anyone else's. Everyone else is supposed to make sure they have an abundance of healthy boys with EX to choose from."

"I'm not talking about training. I want to make the best potential candidates and pilots possible. We both know G.O.A. would be thankful for less EX-related incidents because their candidates had one too many hissy fits with unstable EX. Meanwhile you and I—you especially—know that there is no abundance of EX-bodies."

"What is your solution then? Make EX?!" Gazini threw open fists as though it was the most preposterous thing he had ever heard.

Mengale grinned. "More or so, yes in a way."

Gazini looked at him as though he were about to fall out of his chair. He couldn't give a verbal reply before Mengale continued in his too certain confidence. "That was for kicks. These experiments are meant test the untapped potential EX. Take the so called useless and make them useful. Even I wouldn't try to make EX."

Gazini scratched his head, unsure of how to start explaining his point. "I'm sorry if I seem rude but this is my layer of expertise. You _do_ realize that you can't force these kids to have EX and the EO blood type. Meanwhile if some of these boys did happen to have EX or the correct EO blood type, these experiments could hinder their natural ability therefore compromising their EX ability. Nor can females be forced to have or even naturally possess the right blood type or the EX ability. It's not possible by nature."

"Nature doesn't always follow its own rules. We have had remarkable females in the past that have disproved this. The new pilot of the white goddess is an exception is she not?" Mengale asked, his eyes sparkling.

Gazini grunted. "She's _quite _a bit of an exception. But you still fail to explain how this ties me into this?" His hand brushed the packets further apart on his desk.

Mengale nodded his head accordingly. "In order to conduct these experiments quickly, effectively and as humanely as possible, I need a well experienced Hematologist that specializes in EO to moderate, mandate and approve of the tests so that time isn't lost. You're the best that goes without doubt."

Gazini should have figured he was asking for him to join his project. He felt like smacking himself on the forehead for not stumbling upon that scenario before. "Flattery isn't going to sway my decision or opinion of these experiments. I believe I have expressed that they are inhumane and unfeasible."

"That there, Doctor, is where we clash. I don't believe that you believe these experiments are impossible. I believe you are bored with what you do. From what I can tell the colonies are giving you more squander than eligible boys."

Gazini didn't respond. He kept chewing his nail.

"I may seem sure Doctor but know that I have absolutely no idea how these experiments will go. Even with all of this research and statistics, it can go either way. But why not try? I'm trying to persuade you so you can keep everything in check, keep these test subjects in a benevolent environment, prevent _death_, and make sure that I stay within line and reason."

_That was line was crossed years ago_, Gazini intertwined his fingers and twirled his thumbs.

Mengale bit the edge of his bottom lip. Gazini wasn't taking it. _All the better though_, Mengale wasn't trying to recruit an idiot after all. "I understand the conventional limits but I am merely trying to explore the possibilities and these experiments will be conducted with or without your assistance."

_No problem. I'll just use my authority and voting power among the committee board to have the laboratory shut down. Surely they would have my position. _Gazini smiled and nodded. He gathered the three packets into a stack and eagerly handed them to Mengale.

He accepted the packets however the look on his face wasn't defeated in the least. In fact, his smile grew wider.

"I'll definitely make sure the board of EO specialists learns of these experiments. We'll see what they'll have to say about it." Gazini claimed surely, hoping to draw some sort of reaction from Mengale however his expression seemed frozen on his face.

"Fine by me. I'll get my approval and perhaps recruit a larger crew for the project faster. For that I'd have to thank you." Mengale uttered confidently.

_Thank me?! _Gazini's eye squinted with confusion. "What makes you so sure you'll get the approval Mengale?" Gazini rose to his feet.

"Gazini, you lost the majority to keep the EO Scarce declaration under wraps. That majority and perhaps some on your side would gladly approve and jump on board for these experiments. After all they are all scientists and Doctors. You specialize in EO and EX and yet you hardly know what it is or where it can be tapped into. Maybe you were right, maybe there is an abundance of EX but you seem to lack the determination to prove it. I came here searching for expertise, professionalism, and compassion, which aren't traits that every Hematologist has and I think you know that. Now would you let this slip into someone else's hands and what they might consider to be humane and benevolent, could you trust that? Or could you trust your board to have your opinion on this?"

Mengale let those words float between them for a moment to allow Gazini to ponder. He finally stood from his chair and made way for the door. The door was sliding open when he heard Gazini's chair back up behind him and Gazini finally spoke: "Fine, alright. I'll do it."

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Even though this fandom is quite dead I still feel the need to write this and post it. Maybe the one day the other fans will have their days of reminiscing and will return for old times sake. 

Sighed out. Rynn.


End file.
